Gretchen L. James

Gretchen L. James, age 96 of Dodgeville, passed away on February 17, 2025. Gretchen was born on January 20, 1929, in Dodgeville to LeRoy and Isabel (Jenks) Grunenwald. She was a 1947 graduate of Dodgeville High School and a graduate of Arizona State University with a Master's Degree in Physical Education.
Gretchen then taught physical education for three years in Fresno, CA before returning to Phoenix where she taught and coached at Camelback High School for 21 years. She excelled as an archery coach with her varsity teams, amassing a record of 127-1 and her junior varsity teams a perfect 95-0 record. Her archers also won 18 Arizona State Championships and 29 National Championships in five different divisions. She was a five-time Arizona Coaches Association Coach of the Year and the 1979 National Girls Coach of the Year recipient. She also coached golf and tennis with consistently winning teams in both sports. Her final coaching record for all three sports was 682 wins, 58 losses, and 5 ties. Gretchen was also the head official scorer for the 1972 and 1984 Olympic Games.
Upon retiring in 1985, she and Orville, whom she married on July 24, 1965, enjoyed touring the country in their motor home and playing cards with the same group of friends for over 50 years. Gretchen and Orville always had dogs in their life-most recently: Champion and Princess. They were also long-time members of the Plymouth Congregational Church in Dodgeville.
Gretchen was preceded in death by her husband Orville; parents LeRoy and Isabell; sisters Diane Gorder and Dorothy (Jack) Scheppke; and sister-in-law Susan Grunenwald.
Gretchen is survived by her brother LeRoy Grunenwald; brother-in-law Jack Gorder; 25 nieces and nephews; as well as other relatives and friends.
A combined memorial service for Gretchen and Orville will be held on May 2, 2025, at 11:00 am at the Lulloff-Peterson-Houck Funeral Home, 126 Diagonal St, Dodgeville, WI. Visitation will be held from 9:30 am until the time of service. Burial will commence at Eastside Cemetery. The Lulloff-Peterson-Houck Funeral Home is assisting the family. Online condolences may be made at www.houckfuneralhomes.com.
The family would like to thank CrestRidge and St. Croix Hospice for their wonderfully kind and compassionate care of both Gretchen and Orville during their time with them.
Lulloff-Peterson-Houck Funeral Home Dodgeville 608-935-3628 www.houckfuneralhomes.com